The invention relates to an insole and the use thereof for manufacturing a shoe which can be used in conjunction with one or more socks for adaptation of the shoe to the particular foot width of the wearer, so that one and the same shoe can be adapted, according to the thickness of the sock, to different foot widths in a virtually ideal fit.
Such adaptation is of great advantage in particular in children""s shoes because, as far as children""s shoes are concerned, a tendency exists to make use of a xe2x80x9cstandard shoexe2x80x9d on account of the relatively much smaller market in comparison with adults, that is to say shoes which are available in only a single (medium) foot width in each size, and because on the other hand it is especially important in the case of children, in view of the fact that their feet are still developing, to have shoes available which are adapted to the particular foot width in order that healthy foot development is ensured.
The insole according to the invention is moreover suitable in the same way for adults"" shoes and indeed for walking shoes, work shoes, sport shoes and all other types of shoe, and it makes possible in this context also adaptation of one and the same shoe to different foot widths, it being possible for the outer appearance of the shoe as such to be of very elegant design in contrast to previous orthopedic shoes, because the insole according to the invention makes it possible to position the foot unusually deeply inside the shoe and to provide thin outsoles.
The object of the present invention is in particular to make available an insole which makes it possible to manufacture shoes which, with outstanding transverse stability and excellent longitudinal flexibility of the sole on the one hand and with cost-effective, efficient and relatively uncomplicated manufacturability on the other hand, can be adapted to different foot widths, without the elegance of the shoe shape being impaired.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by an insole comprising:
(A) a support sole, the lateral delimitation (support sole delimitation) of which corresponds to the actual insole outline, that is to say the outer foot outline, at least in the front foot area, and as required in the midfoot and/or heel area;
(B) a dish-shaped edge (dish edge) extending upwardly,
(1) which is provided at least in the front foot area, and as required in the midfoot and/or heel area,
(2) which extends laterally beyond the support sole delimitation,
(3) which is connected firmly to the support sole, and
(4) which is manufactured from a material which is soft and flexible in relation to the support sole material;
(C) a thickening on the underside of the support sole,
(1) which is provided at least in the area of the front foot bone, and as required in the midfoot and/or heel bone area,
(2) the lateral delimitation (thickening delimitation) of which is displaced so far in the inward direction of the sole in relation to the support sole delimitation that a lasting margin recess is formed on the underside of the insole between the support sole delimitation and the thickening delimitation, and
(D) one or more means for transverse stiffening and/or longitudinal flexibilization of the support sole and/or of the thickening, which means are provided at least in the front foot area.
This insole is preferably designed in such a manner that the means for transverse stiffening and/or longitudinal flexibilization of the support sole and/or of the thickening is a structural sole extending at least in the front foot area and made of hard, elastic material of transversely stable and longitudinally flexible structure.
In particular, said structural sole can have the following features:
(a) the structural sole extends at least over essentially the entire front foot area, preferably over essentially the entire foot sole area or the entire footprint area;
(b) the structural sole is formed in one piece from hard, elastic plate material of uniform thickness;
(c) the structural sole is profiled transversely to the longitudinal direction of the sole;
(d) the transverse profiling extends at least over essentially the entire front foot area, preferably over essentially the entire foot sole area or essentially over the entire footprint area;
(e) the resilient plate material has a groove-shaped, flute-shaped, rib-shaped, channel-shaped, wave-shaped, bead-shaped, meander-shaped, meander-like, zig-zag or trapezoidal transverse profiling, and
(f) the transverse profiling is repeated periodically.
The structural sole is especially preferably manufactured from spring steel or from one or more plane or planar materials which are flexible in the longitudinal direction and/or transversely stiffened over the width.
Moreover, within the scope of the present invention, other means are also available alternatively or additionally for transverse stiffening and/or longitudinal flexibilization of the support sole and/or of the thickening, which can be provided at least in the front foot area, and if appropriate in the entire foot area, the means indicated below being listed by way of characterizing preferred embodiments of the invention but by no means exhaustively:
(a) the means for longitudinal flexibilization of the thickening can thus be indentations in the material of the thickening, which run transversely to the longitudinal direction of the insole and give the thickening, for example, a ladder-like structure.
(b) The means for transverse stiffening and/or longitudinal flexibilization of the support sole and/or of the thickening can furthermore be fibers or other longitudinally flexible and/or transversely stiff materials, such as, for example, special graphite or boron fibers, and/or material formations or shapes, such as transverse ribs.
(c) The means for transverse stiffening and/or longitudinal flexibilization of the support sole and/or of the thickening can also be materials of different Shore hardness, which are arranged next to one another running transversely to the longitudinal direction of the sole.
As far as the directional arrangement of the means for transverse stiffening and/or longitudinal flexibilization is concerned, these can be arranged in such a manner in the front foot area and if appropriate in the midfoot area that the maximum transverse stiffening runs at an angle xcex1 in the range from 77xc2x0 to 90xc2x0 to the longitudinal direction of the sole and/or the maximum longitudinal flexibility runs at an angle xcex2 from 0xc2x0 to xe2x88x9213xc2x0 to the longitudinal direction of the sole, this area of transverse stiffening and/or longitudinal flexibility preferably extending over 30% to 60% of the longitudinal direction of the sole (preferably starting from the toe of the sole).
As far as the rear foot or heel area is concerned, the means for transverse stiffening and/or longitudinal flexibilization can be provided in such a manner in this area that the maximum transverse stiffening runs at an angle xcex3 in the range from 90xc2x0 to 103xc2x0 to the longitudinal direction of the sole and/or the maximum longitudinal flexibility runs at an angle xcex4 from 0xc2x0 to 13xc2x0 to the longitudinal direction of the sole, the area of transverse stiffening and/or longitudinal flexibility of this type preferably extending over 20% to 40% of the longitudinal direction of the sole, starting from the sole end.
The sum of the angles xcex1+xcex2 and also xcex2+xcex4 is preferably 180xc2x0 in each case.
It should be pointed out that said angles are measured such that one side of the angle is directed forward from the longitudinal axis of the sole and the other side, starting therefrom, is turned by said angle xcex1, xcex2, xcex3, or xcex4 in the clockwise direction (as can be seen below in connection with the drawing).
These angles xcex1, xcex2, xcex3, or xcex4 can vary according to shoe size and according to the corresponding age of the wearer. In the case of a small child, an angle xcex1 and xcex2 of the order of 90xc2x0 is thus appropriate, and for shoe sizes 30 to 32 an angle xcex1 of 86xc2x0 and an angle xcex3 of 94xc2x0 are to be preferred, whereas for shoe sizes 33 to 35 an angle xcex1 of 81xc2x0 and an angle xcex3 of 99xc2x0 are preferred, and finally for shoe sizes 36 and above an angle xcex1 of 77xc2x0 and an angle xcex3 of 103xc2x0 are especially preferred. The angles xcex2 and xcex3 follow from said angles by virtue of the fact that the direction of the longitudinal flexibilization is perpendicular to the direction of the transverse stiffening.
The insole according to the invention is furthermore preferably designed in such a manner that the dish edge is provided with means, for example notches or wedge-shaped incisions, which prevent a resistance or bridge effect and/or a throwing up of the dish edge in the area of the intended bend, in particular of the ball, intended bend meaning the movement of the shoe wearer, which is brought about when the ball of the foot rolls.
The underside of the support sole in the area of the lasting margin recess is especially preferably plane-surfaced or smooth so that excellent bonding and adhesion of the shoe upper material in the area of the lasting margin and thus outstanding durability of the shoe, as far as the connection between shoe upper material and sole is concerned, is guaranteed.
In order to ensure good durability and wearproofness of the insole according to the invention in particular when no spring steel insert for longitudinal flexibilization and transverse stiffening is provided, it is preferred that the thickening and/or the support sole or the entire insole has or have a Shore A hardness in the range from 90 to 100, preferably in the range from 92 to 98.
The entire insole can be designed as a one-piece part or consist of individual components which are preferably integrated or firmly connected to form a one-piece unit.
By means of the invention, the use of the above insole is made available for manufacturing a shoe of the type in which the insole and the shoe upper material are interconnected to form a self-supporting shoe structure, the height of the thickening being especially preferably the same as the thickness of the shoe upper material.
As already mentioned in the introduction, a shoe which is manufactured using an insole according to the invention, in particular in the above way, can be used in conjunction with one or more socks, the shape of the underside of which is preferably designed complementarily to the dish shape of the insole, for adaptation of the shoe to the particular foot width of the wearer in such a manner that a virtually ideal inner fit of the shoe for the wearer is achieved.